Patent Application
20080072542
These and other advantages and features of the apparatus and process according to the present invention will appear to those which are skilled in the art from the following detailed description of an embodiment thereof, with reference to die accompanying drawings wherein:
a-g) are schematic views in cross-section of a filling chamber in the various steps of the filling process; and
a-g) are schematic partial top views of a widening device of the pouch in the various steps of the filling process corresponding to those of
As shown in
A conveyor 3, preferably formed of a roller conveyor or a belt conveyor, is arranged externally to said chamber 2 and is suitable for taking presealed pouches S from a container 4. Said pouches are preferably in the form of a continuous band 5, and are brought to a separating device 6 which has the function of dividing single pouches S from band 5.
The presealed pouches are previously internally sterilized by means of any process known in the art, for example by means of γ-rays.
The single pouches S separated by separating device 6 are then seized by suitable carrying means 7, which bring the pouches at an entrance 8 of chamber 2.
For example, carrying means 7 can be formed of a small carriage sliding on a track and advantageously comprise one or more suction cups, pliers or other means for gripping the pouches. Said means 7 also have the function of stopping up the band at the separating device 6, so as to prevent the apparatus from blocking due to undesired movements of the band 5 at the moment of the separation of the single pouches S.
As shown in
The wall separating said filling chamber 2b and said sterilization pre-chamber 2a is provided with an opening 9, having elongated shape, for the insertion of a filling end of a pouch S into said filling chamber 2b.
As shown in the drawing, the filling chamber 2b has the smallest possible size since it is intended for housing only said filling end of the pouches S, i.e. the end through which filling with the food product is carried out.
In the sterilization pre-chamber 2a are provided transport means 10 suitable for seizing a pouch S positioned at the entrance 8, which at that position is released by carrying means 7, and for conveying it into the sterilization pre-chamber 2a. Also said transport means 10 are suitably provided with suction cups or other means for gripping the pouch.
The entrance 8 may be provided with a door which automatically closes when there are no passing pouches, in order to maintain the inside of the chamber insulated from the outside.
Said transport means 10 which hold the pouch travel along a path which, thanks to the movement of means 10, allows to carry the pouches from said entrance 8 to a position next to said opening 9. For example, said path may be followed by means of a chain conveyor 12.
For example, the transport of the pouches along said path may extend essentially in a vertical direction, from an entrance 8 positioned in the lower part of pre-chamber 2b up to said opening 9.
Between said entrance 8 and said opening 9, the pouch S stops next to distributing devices 14 of a sanitizer, for example spray devices or atomizing devices. In this way, transport means 10 take the pouches S to said disinfecting devices 14 in order to disinfect the outside thereof before it undergoes the packaging operations of the desired food product. The sanitize, sprayed or atomized by means of said devices 14, may be any sanitizer known for this kind of application. For example, hydrogen Peroxide may be advantageously used, possibly additioned with peracetic acid and surfactants, or other likewise efficient sterilizing agents, which used in small quantities like in the spraying or atomizing devices does not imply toxicity problems nor other risks for the workers of the apparatus.
Hot sterile air is circulated in the sterilization pre-chamber 2a in order to dry the disinfected pouch.
In the filling chamber 2a, next to said opening 9, there are also provided gripping means 15 suitable for gripping the pouch S, which in this position is released from transport means 10. Said gripping means 15 preferably comprise a support, whereon two pliers members intended for gripping and holding the pouch at two sides thereof are provided. Said pliers members have a controllable mutual distance and therefore are suitable for adjusting the tension of the filling end of pouch S.
Once inserted into the filling chamber 2b, the upper edge of the filling end of the pouch is engaged by a device 16 which, according to an embodiment of the invention, removes said edge after that it has been cut from pouch S.
Between the sterilization pre-chamber 2a and the filling chamber 2b, next to said opening 9 there is arranged a pouch widening device 17, which is suitable for widening a pouch S situated in a working position for filling, in which position only a filling end of the pouch is contained in the filling chamber, whereas a lower portion thereof stretches in the sterilization pre-chamber 2a.
The widening device 17 is mobile and is shown in
Above said widening device 17, a cutting device 18 for cutting the pouch and a scaling device 19 for sealing the pouch, for example by heating or by ultrasound, are arranged in filling chamber 2b. A filling mouth 20, through which the product to be packaged is filled into the pouch, is also provided in filling chamber 2b. A drop collector 21 prevents that the food product remaining on the filling mouth 20 may drip, thus dirtying the inside of chamber 2b.
With reference to
According to the process of the invention, in a first configuration of said widening device, plates 22, 23 are spaced apart from each other in order to allow insertion of a filling end of a pouch S, from sterilization pre-chamber 2a into filling chamber 2b, through opening 9.
Then, as shown in
In this working position of the pouch, in which the filling is carried out, only one filling end of the pouch S is situated in the filling chamber 2b.
Each of plates 22, 23 is provided with a pouch widening member, which is arranged at the center of the semicircular recess 24, 25 and is retractile in a suitable housing inside the corresponding plate. Said widening members 26 and 27 are preferably formed of two small rods perpendicularly arranged with respect to plates 22 and 23. Each rod bears a suction cup mounted at the free end thereof.
In the configuration shown in
In
On the contrary, in a preferred embodiment of the invention, the pouches used are those forming the subject matter of copending application Nr. 06425457.6 in the name of the same applicant, for which it is advantageous to make only a partial cutting of the pouch in a determined zone of the filling end, without removing an edge thereof. In this case, the removing device 16 may be replaced by a similar device being though intended for holding two side edges of the pouch filling end well apart, so that they do not hinder the insertion of the filling head 20 into the pouch.
As shown in
The circular hole, resulting from the two semicircular recesses being placed close together, which formed the only passage between said filling chamber and said sterilization pre-chamber when the pouch was closed, is at this moment substantially obstructed by means of the widened pouch and consequently the internal surface of each pouch S does not come into contact with the atmosphere present in the sterilization pre-chamber 2a, but only with that of the filling chamber 2b.
In other words, in this configuration said widening device 17 cooperates with a pouch S which is being filled for substantially obstructing said opening 9, thus separating said pre-chamber 2a from said filling chamber 2b.
Also waste removing device 16, is provided, moves away to one side and, as shown in
Then, as shown in
After that, the pouch is closed by means of the sealing device 19, which preferably uses the frontal part of the cutting device 18 as a sealing counterpart, by sealing together the open side edges of the pouch. At the same time the tension of the filling end is adjusted thanks to gripping means 15, as shown in
The filled pouch is now released by plates 22, 23 and by gripping device 15 and leaves the packaging apparatus, preferably by falling, by passing through an outlet 13 which is positioned immediately under said opening 9. Similarly to entrance 8, also said outlet can be provided with one or more doors, which remain closed when no pouches are passing and has the purpose of maintaining the inside of chamber 2 insulated from the outside.
Before being inserted into chamber 2, air is cleaned, for example by means of a bacteriologic filter. A slight air overpressure, is also maintained in chamber 2, in order to prevent contaminant substances to enter it, for example when the doors of the entrance 8 or of the outlet 9 are opened.
The efficiency of the aseptic apparatus 1 according to the present invention for packaging food products in presealed pouches is high, since the pouches being processed at the same time are at least two. In addition, besides ensuring a high working efficiency, the whole size of chamber 2, and consequently the size of the whole aseptic packaging apparatus 1 is minimum since it is just such as to contain the two pouches under processing.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| EP06425663.9 | Sep 2006 | EP | regional |
